Dr. S.K.Chaudhari, Deputy Director General (NRM) and Dr. Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries Science), ICAR virtually inaugurated the “State-of-the-art ’Environment-controlled water recirculatory facility for fish broodstock maturation” facility developed at the Muttukadu Experimental Station of ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Chennai in the presence of Dr. V.K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CRIDA, Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director, ICAR-CIBA, Dr B Venkateswarlu, Chairman NICRA review Committee, Dr AM Paturkar, Expert Member, Animal Science, Dr Kuldeep Kumar Vass, Expert member, Fisheries, Dr.M.Prabhakar, Principal Investigator, NICRA, ICAR-CRIDA, Dr. M. Muralidhar, Principal Investigator, NICRA, ICAR-CIBA and Dr. M. Kailasam, HoD, Fish Culture Division, ICAR-CIBA on 21.10.2024.
Dr. S.K. Chaudhari appreciated the efforts of ICAR-CIBA and wished the successful implementation of the environment-controlled recirculatory facility for fish broodstock maturation under NICRA.
Dr. J.K.Jena emphasized the importance of aquaculture for food security in the scenario of climate change and the necessity of year-round seed production.
Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal highlighted the long collaboration of ICAR-CRIDA and ICAR-CIBA in the important area of climate change through NICRA and the development of fish broodstock maturation facility where key environmental parameters can be manipulated for extended window of fish seed production.
Dr. V.K. Singh, Director, ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad applauded the Institute for the achievements under the NICRA Project and for establishing the new facility within the stipulated time.
Dr. Aritra Bera, Senior Scientist, Fish Culture Division, ICAR-CIBA explained the different features and operation of this indoor 60 ton capacity RAS facility. The recirculatory system consists of rapid sand filter, protein skimmer, biological filter, water pumps, air blowers, thermostatic heating chamber, automatic photoperiod control units and puffed sheet housing.
Later, the Review of Livestock and Fisheries’ research projects being operated under the NICRA was conducted at Muttukadu Experimental Station of ICAR-CIBA. Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director, ICAR-CIBA welcomed the review committee members and PIs and Co-PIs of livestock and fisheries institutes. The meeting was chaired by Dr B Venkateswarlu, Chairman of the NICRA expert committee along with Dr AM Paturkar, Dr Kuldeep Kumar Vass, Dr Vinod Kumar Singh, Director CRIDA and Dr. M. Prabhakar, PI, NICRA were present in the meeting and gave their inputs. PI and Co-PIs associated with NICRA project of fisheries & livestock component presented their salient achievements.
